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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27512104">The Sundari Guard's Guide to Gossip and Intel</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector'>antigrav_vector</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The 212th Attack Battalion's Guide to Saving the Galaxy by Accident [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Typical Violence, GFY, Gen, Gossip, Humour, Mandalorian Culture, Mando'a, POV M'yare Sina, don't worry there's a glossary, outsider pov, references to terrorist attacks and bombings, thirsty verd'e, verd'e gossiping</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 04:13:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,878</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27512104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/antigrav_vector/pseuds/antigrav_vector</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes she really had to wonder <i>what the actual kriff</i> was in the palace's water supply. The <i>Mand'alor</i> and his oldest <i>ad</i> could (usually) be counted on to keep a level head, but every so often at least one of them would act without thinking things through</p><p>She eyed the <i>Mand'alor</i>'s second a moment longer, wondering whether asking for more details would make her more or less likely to want to track Fett down and beat some sense into -- or perhaps some information out of -- him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Darist H'yza (OC) &amp; M'yare Sina (OC), M'yare Sina (OC) &amp; Ardanna Byzkan (OC), M'yare Sina (OC) &amp; Jaster Mereel, M'yare Sina (OC) &amp; Zeiirk Ral'nu (OC), implied past Jaster Mereel/Zeiirk Ral'nu (OC)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The 212th Attack Battalion's Guide to Saving the Galaxy by Accident [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1830226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>402</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Sundari Guard's Guide to Gossip and Intel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quarra/gifts">Quarra</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy (early) Birthday (again), Quarra.</p><p>Takes place concurrently with chapter 31-36 of the <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25262914">Guide to Staging Rescues</a>.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She'd been made Captain of the Sundari City Guard at a far younger age than was usual, and it wasn't because of the figure she cut in her <i>beskar'gam</i>. She was good at her job and she knew it. She could cope with all manner of disasters without having to resort to calling on her superiors for help, and her cohort was well-trained and disciplined.</p><p>This... kind of insanity was not the kind she was properly equipped to deal with.</p><p>M'yare Sina took a steadying breath and held it for a moment. <i>Keep your cool,</i> she reminded herself, watching as Darist scrubbed at her face with her hands.</p><p>They were seated opposite one another at M'yare's desk, facing one another over a stack of flimsiplast paperwork. More of the same waited on the accompanying stack of data pads on the floor beside her chair. The small space was perhaps three meters by four, and made cramped by the amount of furniture and other job related paraphernalia she had been forced to cram into it, but it was hers and hers alone and it afforded a bit of privacy for discussions such as this one.</p><p>"You're telling me," she summarised what Darist had just told her, "that Fett decided -- for reasons known only to him -- to 'christen' the newly renovated bunker masquerading as living quarters that the <i>Mand'alor</i> had custom-built for his new tribe of <i>ad'ike</i> with blasterfire."</p><p>Darist nodded.</p><p>"And then," M'yare went on, "when two of your <i>verd'e</i> stormed in, they found Fett ranting about his <i>vod'ike</i> being the worst trouble magnets in the known galaxy while the <i>Mand'alor</i> just laughed at the whole scene like it was the funniest thing he'd heard in months."</p><p>"Kree sent me the HUD footage to prove it," Darist told her. "Fett's <i>vod'ike</i> were laughing about it, too. Hells, their ringleader seemed to approve of the whole thing. Called it 'awareness training'."</p><p>What the kriff.</p><p>Those <i>verd'ike</i> were going to cause her no end of headaches once they hit their majority.</p><p>She could see it coming. It was like a karking solar flare that you just <i>knew</i> would hit and wreak the worst kind of havoc... It would hit, and you would be left without instrumentation and somehow you had to be on your guard against it constantly because you couldn't know exactly when it would strike.</p><p>Knowing how the galaxy tended to work, that meant that those disasters would come her way at the worst possible moment. Likely when she was already dealing with another (hopefully unrelated) catastrophe.</p><p>The Death Watch attack on the city's main clinic -- and their subsequent attack on the palace itself -- sprang to mind.</p><p>Thankfully very few <i>mando'ad'e</i> had been injured or killed in those bombings, though no few had marched far away over the course of the next few rotations. </p><p>"You know," she told Darist after a moment, "that fits. Mereel's new <i>ad'ike</i> are kind of terrifying, and after what I heard about the improvements to palace security that they came up with..."</p><p>With a pained sigh, Darist nodded again. "Cody and Ben are way too karking good at that sort of thing for comfort, and I have it on good authority that as soon as we know enough about the <i>shabuir'e</i> who trained those <i>verd'ike</i>..."</p><p>M'yare smiled, showing lots of her teeth. "<i>Good</i>. We need to get any other <i>ad'ike</i> they've still got imprisoned there out of that horrible place, then nuke the <i>aruetiise</i> and their facilities from orbit."</p><p>"Ardanna agrees, and so do Fett and his <i>buir</i>, but those eight <i>verd'ike</i> are karking good at keeping quiet about exactly who had them and where," Darist reminded her. "And I <i>really</i> want to know what in the name of the <i>Ka'ra</i> Fett was hinting at with that comment about them having some kind of weird banthashit happen to them by <i>walking through a door</i>. It's not like him to make a comment that makes no sense during an argument, so there <i>has</i> to be something behind it."</p><p>"What did Kree and Tal have to say about it?" M'yare tried the most obvious line of questioning first.</p><p>Darist gave her an intensely frustrated look that told M'yare clearer than words that that attempt to make sense of things would go exactly <i>nowhere</i>. "They don't know anything either," the <i>ver'alor</i> said, taking a breath and holding it for a moment. "And if Ardanna does, she's keeping quiet about it."</p><p>Hm. Assuming she knew... if the clan armourer saw a need to keep that information behind her teeth, it was likely important. Interesting.</p><p>Ardanna learned about everything that went on behind the palace's walls sooner or later, and her information was reliable just about every time. Not to mention that, now that she'd apparently taken on one of those mysterious <i>verd'ike</i> as an apprentice, she was about as close to finding out where the <i>ad'e be'Mand'alor</i> were from as anyone could be.</p><p>"Perhaps we just need to give them time," M'yare said after she'd thought things through that far and got a thoughtful nod from Darist. "They've only been with us for a handful of weeks, and it's obvious that they're still wound tight. I've seen more than enough clips of their training sessions to know that."</p><p>"That's probably a very accurate assessment," H'yza admitted and ran her hands through the close-cropped blonde hair that betrayed her origins as the descendent of a foundling. "Ardanna's planning to ask about their home planet again when she gets a good opportunity to bring it up without upsetting them. In the meantime, you can bet she'll be listening for clues. No <i>ad</i> should have to grow up carrying weapons and fighting and training from the moment they're physically capable, and it's obvious that those eight were forced to do just that. They're too kriffing good with those blasters of theirs, and I'm willing to bet their hand-to-hand skills are just as highly developed."</p><p>Darist waited a moment before she went on, offering M'yare a chance to comment, then added, "Fett mentioned that they've talked about their home planet, but I've never heard of it." She paused for a beat then amended her own words. "Well, okay, I'm <i>assuming</i> it's a planet that they're referring to; what with how infuriatingly vague they've been about the whole thing, it could just as easily be a sector or a city or <i>Manda</i> knows what. You know anything about a place called 'Kamino'?"</p><p>"Nope. You tried the archives?"</p><p>"Rotations ago," Darist said sourly. "There's nothing in there about the place, either. Based on what we know right now, I'm inclined to say it's probably somewhere out in the Unknown Regions. There aren't a whole karking lot of places in the known galaxy where you could get away with keeping an operation like that under the radar for years on end. Someone would let it slip at some point. There would be rumours. But none of our wandering <i>verd'e</i> know anything about this place, either."</p><p>That, unfortunately, made a lot of sense, as theories went. M'yare made a face. "I'll keep an ear to the ground," she said in the knowledge that that was all she could promise, "and if I hear anything useful, I'll forward it. But we both know that our best and most reliable source of information isn't willing to talk."</p><p>"And we can't force them to." Darist agreed, then offered a slightly stressed but amused half-smile. "If we manage to find that place before those <i>verd'ike</i> are of age, any <i>ad'ike</i> we find there are going to find themselves adopted within hours. If I hadn't just taken on Falin, I might be tempted, myself."</p><p>Wasn't that the truth. Those eight <i>verd'ike</i> were of a caliber that would make any <i>aliit</i> proud to give them a soul. If Mereel hadn't gotten there first, M'yare was sure there would have been more than one 'spar' taking place to determine who got the first chance to offer. "That wouldn't surprise me whatsoever. If the rest of those <i>ad'ike</i> are anywhere near as terrifyingly competent as Mereel's tribe of terrors, all of the <i>Haat Mando'ad</i> clans will squabble over who gets to give them a soul."</p><p>"Maybe there'll be enough of them that no one has to squabble over who gets to be <i>buir</i> to one or two," Darist reminded her, expression going dark again.</p><p>Deciding it was time to change the topic, M'yare nodded. "That's not a comforting thought, <i>ver'alor</i>. Tell me about Kree's latest brew, instead."</p><p>With a roll of her eyes, Darist accepted the new line of conversation. "Come to tonight's bitch-and-bet night, and try it for yourself, Sina. Kree's guaranteed to bring some. Always does."</p><p>After the way this meeting had gone... "I might just take you up on that, H'yza. Same time and place as usual?"</p><p>"No reason to change it," Darist responded easily. "We're starting things off with latemeal, as always. Preferences?"</p><p>"Whatever the palace kitchens are offering is fine," M'yare waved that off. "I'm not all that picky, as you well know. And I'll need something solid in my belly before I even attempt to drink any of Wren's starship fuel."</p><p>Darist snickered and pushed herself to her feet as if wearied by their conversation. "If he brewed it any stronger it would peel paint while it was still in the bottle."</p><p>--- --- ---</p><p>"Have you seen the latest holos making the rounds?"</p><p>M'yare looked up from the stack of datapads on her desk long enough to confirm what her ears had told her. Her former Deputy, Zeiirk, had come to visit her to gossip, apparently. "What holos?"</p><p>"Well, I'm sure you're aware, Captain," Zeiirk responded with a smirk, leaning casually against the doorframe of her office, one hip cocked and her legs crossed almost daintily at the ankles, "that there are a couple of new <i>jetiise</i> visiting the palace. Apparently, the grown one is the liaison's <i>riduur</i>, based on what I've heard from Ardanna, who heard it from the tribe of <i>ad'ike</i> that Mereel adopted on Korda VI."</p><p>Pointedly ignoring the fact that Zeiirk was openly trying to tempt her into giving in to the tension that had always sparked between them, M'yare saved what progress she'd made and set aside the forms, intrigued. "What has that got to do with holos?"</p><p>Zeiirk's smirk broadened into something almost gleeful. "Well, the grown <i>jetii</i> brought his <i>adiik</i> with him, and they somehow wound up in the palace kitchens this morning <i>baking</i>. They've been in-sector for less than a full rotation, and that <i>jet'ika</i> is well on his way to charming half the palace staff."</p><p>Staring down her former subordinate, who now served as one of Darist's squad leaders, M'yare waited out her visitor. "And?"</p><p>"And the holo images are a karking thing of beauty," Zeiirk finished, finally getting to the point.</p><p>Oh, that was making her even more curious. A <i>jetii</i>? Baking? And -- even more unheard of in their sector -- a <i>jetii adiik</i>? That was something she <i>definitely</i> wanted to see. "You have copies?"</p><p>"Do I have copies." Zeiirk scoffed and pushed off the doorframe she'd been lounging against to step further into the office. "Of course I have copies. Ardanna got them from her apprentice who got them from one of the cooks' apprentices. Here."</p><p>The sight that met her eyes was just... Indescribable.</p><p>She'd never met a <i>jetii</i> until that rotation the clinic had come under attack and she'd been confronted with the one the <i>Mand'alor</i> had adopted. That <i>jetii</i> -- whose name she knew was Ben, though his <i>vod'e</i> seemed to simply call him General -- had brought all of the stereotypes she'd learned about in the old histories rushing back to mind, despite his young age.</p><p><i>Jetiise</i> were inscrutable, mysterious beings. They were dignified in every possible circumstance, and carried <i>kad'au'se</i> that could efficiently cut through just about every known material in the galaxy save <i>beskar</i>, cortosis, water, and a handful of others. They claimed to be peacekeepers but they were <i>karking dangerous</i> and should never be provoked unless absolutely necessary -- and preferably only when you already had a prepared escape route. </p><p>M'yare had seen some of the HUD footage of the training drills those terrifying little Mereels did with Ben. The <i>kandosii'la osik</i> those seven <i>verd'ike</i> did -- apparently for fun -- was more than a little bit terrifying. What Ben could pull off at a moment's notice and without advance warning, just using his banthashit connection to the Force... kark, some of it made M'yare's blood run cold, thinking about just how brutally effective it could be, even against <i>verd'e</i> in <i>beskar'gam</i>. And that wasn't going anywhere near the fact that Ardanna had apparently seen fit to deck them all out with <i>karking Whistling Birds</i>.</p><p>Not one of them was properly of age.</p><p>Not one of them was any less of a proven warrior than the <i>ori'ramikad'e</i> in Darist's companies.</p><p>Whether separately or together, they effortlessly maintained the image of those stereotypes of the <i>jetiise</i>, and that even though the Mereels didn't share Ben's abilities.</p><p>This holo? Well, it was <i>absolutely none</i> of those things.</p><p>The grown <i>jetii</i> visitor -- a slender, exotic-looking human man with impractically long dark hair -- stood beside what she assumed was the <i>jetii adiik</i>, doused in flour practically from head to toe and looking caught between resignation and indulgent amusement. The <i>adiik</i> was perched on a chair at his side, elbow-deep in a bowl of what M'yare assumed was bread dough, was looking up at what M'yare assumed was the <i>jetii</i> equivalent of a <i>buir</i> apologetically.</p><p>She couldn't help it. A totally undignified snicker escaped her. "<i>Ka'ra</i>, what a holo."</p><p>"It's been making the rounds of the palace, and I doubt it'll stay contained there for long," Zeiirk informed her, looking very pleased with herself, "but so far it hasn't reached too many <i>verd'e</i>."</p><p>"You and Darist will have to keep an eye out for any <i>or'dinii</i> who might think the <i>adiik</i> makes a tempting target," she replied.</p><p>"Hah! I doubt it, actually. That <i>adiik</i> has all eight of the <i>Mand'alor</i>'s newly adopted <i>verd'ike</i> wrapped around his tiny fingers, and his <i>buir'e</i> are no less terrifying. Have you ever met the <i>jetii</i> liaison?"</p><p>"Can't say I've had the pleasure," M'yare answered, and watched a shiver run down Zeiirk's spine. "Why? What's so scary about him?"</p><p>"It's... tough to put into words? He's just... got this air of impending doom around him. Like if you look at him or his <i>riduur</i> wrong, he'll put you down without a second thought, and anyone who dares go anywhere near the <i>adiik</i> gets watched karking closely," her former Deputy replied.</p><p>M'yare could tell that Zeiirk wasn't sure whether to find that attractive or not, which was a fact that somehow straddled the gap between being funny and making M'yare want to scrub at her face with her hands. Thank <i>Manda</i> it would be Darist's problem, if Zeiirk actually managed to entice the scary <i>jetii</i> into her bed.</p><p>It had been difficult enough to deal with the way her Deputy had openly lusted after Mereel for months and gone on and on about how badly she wanted to have a tumble with him. The fact that Zeiirk had gotten what she'd wanted, too, had been kind of astonishing to M'yare. Sure, it had been a few more long months before anything had come of it, but then Zeiirk had somehow contrived to be in the right place at the right time and Mereel had taken her up on the offer.</p><p>And then the Guard had had to listen to Zeiirk brag about just how good that night had been. For weeks. The happily married <i>verd'e</i> had laughed. Most of the rest had been envious. Including M'yare. It hadn't made a difference that she'd been keenly aware that she had to keep her reputation spotless, she'd have happily said yes if he'd offered.</p><p>Luckily, Mereel hadn't ever tested her resolve like that, and now M'yare found herself hoping that this latest attraction of her Deputy's was a passing fancy that would vanish the next time Zeiirk spotted someone <i>mandokar'la</i> enough to suit her tastes. It had happened before.</p><p>"Do me a favour," M'yare said dryly, "and don't hit on the liaison or his <i>riduur</i> openly."</p><p>Zeiirk rolled her eyes. "Give me credit for some discretion, Sina," she grumbled back. "They might both be interesting, but I'm not about to do anything that stupid."</p><p>"Thank <i>kriff</i> for that," M'yare shot back, just trying to get Zeiirk to make a face, and succeeded.</p><p>--- --- ---</p><p>She'd made her way to the palace to seek Ardanna's advice, and taken a moment to just breath in the almost sacred aura of the large room. M'yare was always a little astonished by just how much simply walking into the palace armoury calmed her down. It was a very serene space, despite being both forge and workshop. Mereel's clan armourer kept the place spotless, and even her workbench was relatively uncluttered.</p><p>"Captain Sina," Ardanna greeted her in her almost musical voice. "It has been some time since you felt you needed to seek my advice."</p><p>There was a barely-hidden criticism in those words. M'yare held the armourer's eyes levelly. "It has been some time since I needed to, Clan Armourer."</p><p>Ardanna gave her a nod. "Speak, then. Tell me of what troubles you."</p><p>M'yare took her <i>buy'ce</i> off and ran a hand through her curls in a vague attempt to tame her helmet hair. Carefully keeping her voice calm and level, she began explaining. "I'm not sure how much you know about the brawl that took place in the entertainment district last rotation, after the late meal," she started, and watched as Ardanna settled in to listen. "It should never have gone as far as it did. Two of my youngest recruits, <i>verd'e</i> from Kalevala, got themselves into a fistfight with some locals."</p><p>Ardanna nodded again. "Was there damage?"</p><p>M'yare shook her head. "No, thank <i>Manda</i>. Nothing more than a few bruises to body and ego. The locals were upset about the fact that Death Watch had been 'allowed to run wild for so long', as they put it, and hurling insults at my Guardsmen over events no one involved in last rotation's incident could have had any control over."</p><p>"So your new <i>verd'e</i> didn't know the full context of the situation and the locals didn't care about that, wanting someone to yell at," Ardanna speculated.</p><p>"Based on the eyewitness accounts and the accounts of those actually involved in the incident, that does seem to be what happened," M'yare agreed. "No one actually drew their weapons, and only minutes after the brawl started, one of my more experienced squads intervened."</p><p>Which, naturally, meant that both the City Guard, and all of the locals and their <i>aliit</i> were angry and ready to get right back into it. The Guard, of course, had to stay as neutral as possible in any disputes, and the locals shouldn't have been provoking them... and her <i>verd'e</i> should have known better than to take offense no matter their inexperience and lack of knowledge of the locals' opinions.</p><p>The whole thing made M'yare want to pinch the bridge of her nose.</p><p>"I wasn't sure what to do about the whole mess. Both sides had valid points and reasons for what they did, even though starting a brawl over it was exactly the opposite of what they were supposed to do," M'yare finished.</p><p>Ardanna made a thoughtful sound as she considered the issue. "Your assessment of the situation is correct. Your <i>verd'e</i> should have had the restraint not to take insult, and the locals should not have provoked them. But neither side was simply acting randomly or maliciously. The locals must be reminded that the City Guard is to be treated as an extension of the <i>Mand'alor</i>'s will. It is true that the <i>Resol'nare</i> does not explicitly say that we must do so, merely that we must answer the <i>Mand'alor</i>'s call. But to answer his call is to follow his orders in battle. Moreover, if we do not also follow those orders outside of battle, if we do not uphold our own laws and traditions, we lose our very identity and our connection to <i>Manda</i>. To lose that connection is to become <i>dar'manda</i>. You and your <i>verd'e</i> enforce the laws that all <i>mando'ad'e</i> must follow. Those who swear to the <i>Mand'alor</i> must also bow to his decisions during times of peace. This is the Way."</p><p>M'yare bowed her head and offered the armourer a salute. "This is the Way," she answered, and heard Ardanna's senior apprentice echo the phrase from her position at her own workbench.</p><p>That reminded her. "So I've been hearing rumours that you decided to take a new apprentice, Ardanna. Are they true?"</p><p>The armourer actually grinned, as though proud of herself. "I have," she agreed. "Though at times it seems more like I have taken on seven than just one."</p><p>"Seven?" M'yare asked, puzzled. "How does one take on a single apprentice and gain <i>seven</i>?"</p><p>The armourer shrugged and opened her mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by the chime of her wrist comm.</p><p>"One moment," she said, checking the message with a couple of deft movements of her fingers, then hummed, curiosity audible in her voice and visible in the slight tilt of her head. "It seems that there is about to be a <i>very interesting</i> weapons demonstration down in the training yard," she added, once she'd read it. "Come, you won't want to miss this, and I'll introduce you to my apprentice and his <i>vod'e</i>."</p><p>Ardanna had never led her wrong before, so M'yare shrugged and went with it. She had to admit to a certain level of curiosity of her own. A weapons demonstration? And it was one the <i>Mand'alor</i>'s clan armourer wanted to see?</p><p>M'yare let herself be led the short distance through the palace corridors that it took to get to the training yard. The sight that met her eyes once they got there explained everything. Ben was standing positioned near the edge of the markings delineating the training yard's hand-to-hand practice area. The liaison and the <i>jetii</i> widely rumoured to be his <i>riduur</i> were facing off at the very center of the space, clearly preparing themselves for a practice spar. The Mereels were all seated close together and the <i>adiik</i> she'd seen in the holos Zeiirk had shown her was excitedly bouncing in the hold of one of the seven <i>verd'ike</i>, chattering excitedly about how amazing the demonstration was going to be.</p><p>M'yare had to bite back a smile. The <i>adiik</i> was definitely just as cute as the holo had made him seem.</p><p>Ardanna led her over to the area the <i>Mand'alor</i> and his tribe of adopted <i>ad'ike</i> had claimed for themselves, as the area all around the walls and the open ground next to the blaster range quickly filled with other spectators.</p><p>She barely had time to offer the <i>Mand'alor</i> a salute in greeting before the two <i>jetiise</i> lit their weapons with a <i>snap-hum</i> that felt like it stabbed right to her bones via her eardrums. She'd only heard that sound once before, at the clinic that had since been rebuilt and recertified, but it was one she hadn't forgotten. She was pretty sure she never would.</p><p>As the pair of <i>jetiise</i> went through some brief warm up exercises and bantered back and forth, she shook off the jolt that had run down her spine at the sound, and took advantage of the brief moment to take a closer look at the seven <i>verd'ike</i> keeping an eye on the tiny <i>jet'ika</i>. They all looked eerily alike, with their <i>buy'cese</i> off, which wasn't unheard of for <i>vod'e</i> who all had the same <i>buir'e</i>, but something about their looks nagged at her.</p><p>Huh. Seven Mereels. And Ardanna had said she'd accidentally ended up with seven apprentices. The leap of logic wasn't a big one. </p><p>Turning to ask Ardanna which one was her new apprentice, M'yare nearly missed the beginning of the spar. Diverted by the promised demonstration, she shoved that question aside for later.</p><p>Watching the pair of <i>jetiise</i> fight was like watching a pair of strill squabble over a choice bit of meat. The clash was almost too fast to follow and looked brutally violent. Neither <i>jetii</i> was holding back much, by the looks of things.</p><p>Unable to keep her jaw from dropping at the sight, M'yare just stared. <i>Ka'ra. I might owe whoever it was that sent Ardanna that comm a drink.</i> </p><p>It felt like mere moments later that the liaison all but slammed the hilt of his extinguished <i>kad'au</i> against his <i>riduur</i>'s sternum, and they both froze, breathing hard.</p><p><i>Kriff</i>. Maybe those stereotypes and ancient tales had some truth to them, after all.</p><p>And, she had to admit, now that she'd seen them fight, she could <i>definitely</i> see the appeal. Kriff, but they were <i>fast</i>, and karking deadly fighters to boot. It didn't matter that their styles were very obviously completely different, the two of them were just as lethal as Ben had proven himself to be during that evaluation the <i>jetiise</i> had demanded. She was, she acknowledged, still a little irritated about that whole affair and how it had ended, herself, but Ben had proven his mettle and gained the admiration of a large number of <i>verd'e</i> in the process.</p><p>He might be a <i>jetii</i>, but he was <i>their jetii</i>, made <i>mando'ad</i> and given a soul by their <i>Mand'alor</i> himself, and every <i>verd</i> who had ever seen him spar or fight agreed that Ben was <i>mandokar'la</i>.</p><p>She had no doubts whatsoever that, the moment Ben was of age, he would have more than a few offers of marriage waiting for him.</p><p>It would make whoever managed to snag him a karking good alliance.</p><p>But for now all of that was far off in the future. More immediately she -- or, rather, Darist -- would have to find a way to cope with the very salacious gossip over these two <i>jetiise</i> that was bound to come boiling up. They were strong, each attractive in their own way -- though M'yare had to agree with Zeiirk that the liaison was almost more intimidating than handsome -- and both were excellent fighters that clearly treasured the little visiting <i>adiik</i> they watched over.</p><p>M'yare chewed briefly on the inside of her cheek, worrying at sensitive flesh in an attempt not to let herself wonder what they were like in bed as she cursed her former Deputy for putting the idea in her head. Zeiirk might have a habit of inviting any <i>verd</i> she pleased into her bed, but she did tend to be fairly exacting in what she considered 'attractive', and those <i>jetiise</i> definitely fit the bill. Her own preferences tended toward the <i>riduur</i>, rather than the liaison, though.</p><p>Shoving those thoughts aside and squaring her shoulders as the pair of <i>jetiise</i> approached -- she <i>was</i> a professional, after all -- she prepared herself for anything. The <i>Ka'ra</i> only knew what might come up in conversation with a <i>jetii</i>, after all. She'd heard stories about Ben and the liaison from Zeiirk and others in Darist's companies.</p><p>"Master Dooku," the <i>Mand'alor</i> said, nodding to the <i>jetiise</i> in greeting as they came into easy conversational range. "Master Sifo-Dyas, may I introduce Ardanna Byzkan, our Armourer, and Captain M'yare Sina of the City Guard."</p><p>M'yare made note of their names.</p><p>She had a feeling these two <i>jetiise</i> -- attractive or not -- would have at least as much of an influence on how the next weeks and months unfolded as Ben would.</p><p>------ </p><p>As it happened, M'yare was at the palace in person again when the next bit of drama involving the <i>jetiise</i> took place. She'd been in a meeting with the <i>Mand'alor</i>, Darist and Fett when reports had started flooding the <i>ver'alor</i>'s comm about one of the <i>jetiise</i> apparently collapsing on the training yard for no discernable reason.</p><p>Fett had immediately text commed his <i>vod'ike</i>, well aware that they had been training with the <i>jetiise</i> and Ben at the time, but gotten no response.</p><p>Mereel groaned. "What the kriff happened <i>this</i> time?" </p><p>"I've said it before," Fett grumbled back, "and I'll say it again: all of them are <i>karking trouble magnets</i>."</p><p>M'yare couldn't help the amused huff of sound that escaped her. "From what I've seen, you're not wrong."</p><p>With a sound that was half sigh and half chuckle, Darist commed Kree. "Wren, report," she demanded.</p><p>"<i>Ver'alor</i>," he offered a verbal salute. "I have no idea what happened, but that <i>jetii</i>, Sifo-Dyas just... collapsed where he stood. It looked like he fell unconscious."</p><p>Pinching the bridge of her nose, Darist answered. "And? Is he alright? The last thing we need is a visiting <i>jetii</i> getting hurt while he's in our capital."</p><p>"No idea. His <i>riduur</i> carried him away pretty much immediately, and Ben and his <i>vod'e</i> went with them," Wren answered, sounding almost as frustrated as Darist looked. "They weren't panicking and Helix wasn't swearing much more than usual, though. So it <i>should</i> be okay. Probably."</p><p>That 'probably' was the worrying part.</p><p>Darist and Fett seemed to agree.</p><p>"If Helix wasn't worrying too much, we shouldn't need to," Mereel put in. "His reactions are usually a pretty good indicator of how kriffed a situation is."</p><p>Fett snorted. "If anything, all of them underreact, rather than overreacting. They've seen way too karking much horrible <i>osik</i>."</p><p>Kree grumbled something under his breath, then put in. "Those space sorcerer powers let them do some really <i>kandosii'la</i> tricks, but if that's the price they pay, I'd rather stick to my jetpack."</p><p>"Agreed," Darist said, and ran one hand over her face. "Check in on them in a quarter hour or so then report back to us, Kree."</p><p>"Will do, <i>ver'alor</i>," Wren replied, then paused. "Did you know the other companies have some really karking <i>weird</i> theories about how <i>jetiise</i> work?"</p><p>Darist visibly had to refrain from making a scathing remark. "I had my suspicions. Why do you mention it?"</p><p>"Because I overheard Fenra and Konall discussing it just now," Kree replied with an audible grin.</p><p>M'yare felt the distinct urge to sigh, and these weren't even her <i>verd'e</i> that were gossiping so assiduously. "Do I want to know?" She asked, knowing her tone conveyed exactly how resigned and tired she felt.</p><p>"Maybe not, but I do," Mereel said with a bemused expression.</p><p>"Go on, Kree," Fett prompted the <i>verd</i>. "What did they say this time?"</p><p>"Well, Fenra was impressed by the way the liaison picked up his <i>riduur</i> and carried him off the field like he was a karking princess, and, I have to admit, if the <i>jetii</i> in his arms hadn't been there because he was unconscious, it would have been a pretty romantic gesture," Wren happily passed on what they'd said. "And Konall just kind of rolled his eyes at Fenra because, honestly, how else was anyone going to carry him off to his suite? None of the <i>verd'ike</i> are big enough, and, sure, Ben probably could do it with his Force or whatever -- which I still say is really just a strong connection to the <i>Ka'ra</i> like some of our <i>verd'e</i> have -- but it makes way more sense for his <i>riduur</i> to carry him."</p><p>Darist's expression was halfway between amusement and horror. "You may be right about it being a connection to the <i>Ka'ra</i>," she said, not directly addressing any of the rest of that juicy gossip and getting a relieved look out of Fett. "But, I have to ask, did those two <i>or'dinii</i> think his <i>riduur</i> would have allowed anyone else near him? Dooku is karking protective of Sifo-Dyas and their <i>adiik</i>."</p><p>Wren snorted. "That's what I told them, but they seem to think that the <i>verd'ike</i> would have dragged him along upright or done some other weird <i>osik</i>."</p><p>"Our lives were so much calmer before you adopted those eight <i>ad'ike</i>," M'yare told the <i>Mand'alor</i>.</p><p>"They were also a lot less interesting," he riposted, "and I don't regret doing it."</p><p>Darist sighed. "I just hope we manage to get through the rest of this visit without any more disasters. The karking <i>last</i> thing we need is another war with the <i>jetiise</i>. We only just finished dealing with <i>Kyr'tsad</i>."</p><p>Mereel's amusement subsided into a subtle smirk only visible at the corners of his eyes. "A war on one front is plenty. I don't have any intention of opening up a second. And besides, Ben would try his best to politely chew us out, if we did."</p><p>Fett made a face. "He'd manage it, too. You saw how he neatly tricked the entire council into allowing the <i>jetiise</i> to send their planet healers here and the <i>jetiise</i> into agreeing to do it. And then he got them to let him plan most of the Concordia campaign."</p><p>That was news to her. "Your <i>ad</i> did the planning for that?" M'yare asked Mereel, surprised.</p><p>"He and Cody. They karking pulled a plan for a same-rotation mobilisation and deployment out of their belt pouches. I didn't think something like that was possible before they proved it was. Even with the issues that cropped up, the two of them had us all loaded up, provisioned, and en route to Concordia before the rotation was over."</p><p>M'yare made a note to spend a bit more time trying to get more details on that out of Zeiirk and Ardanna, later. The way Mereel was talking about it, that wasn't just a plan they'd been taught by whoever had had them. It was also one they'd likely practiced or possibly even used.</p><p>For the time being, though... "So, now that the immediate crisis is over, let's wrap this meeting up, shall we? I don't know about you three, but I'd like to get out of here and find something to eat before the sun goes down."</p><p>Fett shrugged. "I can go get us something to eat," he offered, like the dutiful <i>ad</i> he was. Mereel had done well with that one.</p><p>"Let's save that for a last resort, Jango," Mereel suggested. "We don't have that much left to discuss."</p><p>M'yare nodded. "The only thing left on the agenda was the implementation of those security updates that you proposed for the city, <i>Mand'alor</i>."</p><p>"Right," he agreed, and they went back to work.</p><p>A few minutes later, as promised, Fett stood up and stepped away from the table long enough to comm his <i>vod'ike</i> for an update, and got one that time.</p><p>Relief that nothing more urgent was needed than some bed rest -- apparently their Force powers could hit some <i>jetiise</i> with the force of a star cruiser -- let all four of them relax somewhat.</p><p>It was only once she got back to her office that she could truly draw a breath without it being tinged with the worry that something else would go wrong while she was on-site that she would have to deal with.</p><p>Sometimes the intel she gathered wasn't worth the stress it caused her, M'yare reflected. There was no way she'd ever have been happy as an armourer, for all that she'd been tempted once, when she'd been years younger.</p><p>No. She was far happier where she was.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Mando'a glossary:</p><p><b>Ad</b> - n. gender neutral word for son/daughter; plural: ad'e<br/><b>Ad'ika</b> - n. diminutive form of <b>ad</b>; roughly translates as 'kiddo' or 'little one'; plural: ad'ike<br/><b>Adiik</b> - n. a child between the ages of 3 and 13 years<br/><b>Aliit</b> - n. clan/family<br/><b>Aruetii</b> - n. traitor/foreigner/outsider; plural: aruetiise</p><p><b>B', Be'</b> - prepositional prefix denoting relationship: 'of'; eg: <b>ad be'Mand'alor</b> = "child of the Mand'alor" or "the Mand'alor's child"<br/><b>Beskar</b> - n. Mandalorian iron<br/><b>Beskar'gam</b> - n. armour (literally: iron skin)<br/><b>Buir</b> - n. gender neutral word for mother/father; plural: buir'e<br/><b>Buy'ce</b> - n. helmet plural: buy'cese</p><p><b>Dar'manda</b> - no longer a Mandalorian; not an outsider, but one who has lost his heritage, and so his identity and his soul - a fate regarded with absolute dread by most traditionally-minded Mando'ade</p><p><b>Haat, ijaa, haa'it</b> - Truth, honor, vision - words used to seal a pact.<br/><b>Haat Mando'ad'e</b> - n. True Mandalorians (plural)<br/><b>Hut'uun</b> - n. coward; very strong insult; plural: hut'uun'e</p><p><b>Jetii</b> - n. Jedi; plural: jetiise<br/><b>Jetii'kad</b> - n. Lightsabre (literally: Jedi sword); plural: jetii'kad'e</p><p><b>Kad'au</b> - n. lightsabre; plural: kad'au'se<br/><b>Kandosii'la</b> adj. awesome; wicked; splendid<br/><b>Ka'ra</b> - n. Stars; also refers to an ancient Mandalorian myth: the ruling council of fallen kings<br/><b>Kyr'tsad</b> - n. Death Watch</p><p><b>Manda</b> - n. the collective soul or heaven - the state of being Mandalorian in mind, body and spirit - also supreme, overarching, guardian-like<br/><b>Mandokar'la</b> - adj. having the right stuff, showing guts and spirit, the state of being the epitome of Mando virtue</p><p><b>Or'dinii</b> - n. moron; fool<br/><b>Ori'ramikad</b> - n. supercommando (Mandalorian designation of elite special forces); plural: ori'ramikad'e</p><p><b>Riduur</b> - n. spouse/lover; plural: riduur'e</p><p><b>Shabuir</b> - n. jerk, but much stronger; extreme insult; plural: shabuir'e</p><p><b>Ver'alor</b> - n. lieutenant<br/><b>Verd</b> - n. soldier/warrior; plural: verd'e<br/><b>Verd'e be'Mand'alor</b> - n. the Mand'alor's warriors<br/><b>Vod</b> - n. gender neutral word for brother/sister; plural: Vod'e<br/><b>Vod'ika</b> - n. little brother/sister; plural: vod'ike</p></blockquote></div></div>
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